Thursday, November 6, 2008

President Elect Obama


As a lover of history, I can honestly appreciate the significance of the election of the first black man as President of the United States. But at what price did we make history? When Martin Luther King made his great "I Have a Dream" speech and he said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character", I don't think he envisioned this. I'm sure he hoped for the day when a black man would hold the most powerful position on this earth but not that he would be placed there DUE to the color of his skin. I'm afraid that's exactly what happened in this election. Too many got caught up in the moment of "making history", judging him by the color of his skin rather than looking at the content of the man's character. There were too, too many citizens interviewed that said the only reason they were voting for Barack Obama was because he was black. Isn't that just as bad as voting against him because he is black? When did we stop looking at his policies, his ideology, his voting record, his plans for this country?

I'm not saying that everyone voted for him just because he is black; I know there are many who agree with his policies, especially those who believe he is going to lead this country to greater pastures. (Wasn't it interesting that at all of McCain and Palin's rallies people would shout "USA, USA" but at rallies for Obama and Biden the chants were always "Obama, Obama!" Very telling, I think.) But frankly, I am scared of our president elect. He said that he knows there were many that did not vote for him and that he is going to listen to us and be our president too. I just don't believe that. He is so far left of everything I believe in, it's going to be hard for me to get excited about any of the changes he makes. For instance, on the stance of abortion...I am extremely pro-life and he is definitely NOT! How am I supposed to accept his policies on abortion? The following story comes to my mind of the child that had been killed that has been much talked about during this election, at least by conservatives. The parents had discovered that the baby had down syndrome and, since the mother was in her second trimester, opted for an "induced" abortion. This procedure, as indicated by name, induces the mother into labor, but a by product of this is that children may been born alive, even though they are severely under developed. This child was one such case. As the baby was about to be put into a utility room to die alone, a nurse took the child and held him for the 45 minutes that he lived. Going in front of a committee, which Obama was a member of, she testified about this and pleaded for the rights of these children. Obama voted that since this was a child that should have been aborted, he had no rights and should receive no medical attention. He should die. And that he did. This is our president elect. I am judging him by the content of his character and I find it lacking.

I pray for my country that we will stay true to the values and ideals that helped form this great nation. The current generation has been taught by our educational system to hate America, to focus on all the flaws and mistakes that have been made rather than seeing the growth and progress that came to our nation in recognizing our faults. We as a people have truly tried to be a better people, to be a better nation, to help others in the world, to be generous. I fear that this great change that Obama has promised us, this "Guaranteed Outcome" will take us where we really don't want to be. We will fall just as other great nations fell because we will have become unrighteous, forgetting God and the hand he played in forming this great nation. I am concluding my blog with several quotes that I love because I am not a very good writer and these people have stated how I feel much better than I ever could.

Let us fight. Let us fight against socialism, against big government, let our voices be heard. Let us fight for life, let us fight for freedom, let us fight for the good of America, let us fight for the values so many of us hold dear. Let us fight for the Lord. We know it will be not be easy. But let us not shirk from our duty, let us not shirk from the fight. Remember how our country began. We must decide now what we are willing to give for our country. (That was my sister Heidi..aren't her words powerful?)

Another wonderful quote is by Alexis de Tocqueville, "I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world of commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

From The Crisis by Thomas Paine:

"These are the times that try men's souls."

4 comments:

Shay said...

...But you ARE such a great writer---thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's so nice to see so much passion re: these issues and you are right on! Brace yourself for the next four years!

Sommer said...

Man Tracie, you gave me chills! I know what you mean and I totally agree, I'm pretty scared about the upcoming years.

mom2beachbums said...

Yes, yes I so agree! You are such a wonderful writer ---can you send this to the washington post? Very well said and thank you very much for sharing.

Tom, Cyndee and the girls said...

I'm with you Tracie. I agree 100% We need to stand and make a difference.
Tom